Daybreak
by Dovely
Summary: One of two. The evolution of a certain Turian's affections toward his commander, and the experiences that help shape them. ME1, with a ME2 sequel to follow.
1. Chapter 1

_ I'm doing a replay on my Shep(F), starting with ME1 and will carry on into ME2. And during a mindless day at work, this was born. First of two stories- this one, as one might have expected takes place during ME1._ _Rated "T" for language (sorry, no delicious smut until the second one)._

* * *

He'd seen her in photos and on vids before the Saren case ever crossed his desk. Shepard was an interesting figure, but he never saw a reason to do much research on her. Nonetheless, the first photo he ever saw stuck in his mind- a young woman's face, thin scar running across the left side, with gaunt cheeks and haunted eyes. It was a picture accompanying an extranet news article about Akuze.

When he first saw her in real life, he'd felt like banging his head against a brick wall. He'd been put on the Saren case, and time was up, but he had no "real" evidence. He was arguing with Executor Pallin when he saw movements at the corner of his eye. As Pallin left to present his findings to the Council, he turned to see three humans. One he recognized immediately as Commander Shepard, with her N7 insignia and distinctive facial scar. He'd gotten the impression of height from the vids, but in person, she was merely average height, short in Turian terms. However, what she lacked in height, she made up for with an unshakable sense of stature- there was no way, even if he hadn't recognized her, that he'd ever assume that this was an ordinary soldier. Her very presence spoke of strength and command, and right now, her eyes, decidedly NON-haunted, were fixed on him. Before he could explain much, the Terran male at her side said the Council was waiting, and she gave him a brief nod before walking away, her two human companions in tow. He shook his head when he realized that he was watching her, and went to the nearby rapid transit terminal. The investigation may have been officially over, but he certainly wasn't satisfied. Saren was going down.

He was surprised to see her again, and more surprised that she was in Dr. Michel's office. However, he had enough presence of mind to take advantage of the distraction her arrival caused, and made a clean head shot on the merc holding the doctor hostage. He ran to the doctor as Shepard's team took out the remaining mercs with cool and deadly precision. When she turned and complimented his shot, he felt both proud and humbled, and gave the credit to luck. Then, when she turned to leave after getting information, he heard himself call her name. Without really meaning to, he asked to come along, to join her team. When she asked him why he wanted to hunt another Turian, he got defensive as he tried to explain himself. He was expecting some sort of rebuke or disbelief, but instead she raised her hand and welcomed him to the crew. Still not entirely sure of what was happening, he went to the Presidium to inform Pallin that he was leaving.

* * *

They had found the Quarian, named Tali, and he had been present when the Council had rescinded Saren's status as a Spectre. When they made Shepard a Spectre in turn, he felt himself standing a little taller, mandibles flaring with pride, as she accepted the honor with poise and grace. He hardly knew this woman, but he was proud to stand with her, and he knew that exposing Saren was only the beginning. They had just returned to the Normandy, and he was getting ready to go to the lower deck, when her voice came over the intercom system. Like the Commander herself, her voice was calm, but there was something inspiring in her tone, more than just her words. Looking around, he saw that everyone on the ship had stopped to listen, all with rapt attention on their faces. And for the first time in a long time, he began to feel like he could really make a difference.


	2. Chapter 2

They had taken down Matriarch Benezia and saved her daughter, freed the last Rachni, and saved a colony from a giant telepathic plant with limited causalities. He tried not to think about it too much because the speed at which events were happening made his head spin. And through it all, he had been there. The Commander, a sentinel with a damn good aim on a pistol, was pretty much worthless when it came to long-distance shots (which was often the subject of good-natured bantering). And so they often went out on missions together, complementing each other's strengths and filling in the other's weaknesses. He learned a great deal from working with her, both in action and in the debriefs that followed. After each mission, no matter how apparently minor, the Commander liked to get her team's opinion, with permission to speak freely. He felt himself learning and considering strategies he'd never thought of before, and recognized that he was beginning to look at situations in new ways and with a fresh attitude.

Once he'd gotten used to her open door policy, he couldn't imagine how he'd been able to function before. With Commander Shepard, he could ask questions, and she always gave honest answers. And if he had an idea or suggestion, she would always consider it and justify her choice. And he could tell how her command style was affecting the rest of the crew as well, with their confidence and morale levels rising.

Shepard was not, however, a pushover, and neither did she put up with someone second guessing her decisions. They all learned that at one point- Ashley when she balked at working with aliens, Kaidan when saying her tactics were too brutal, and even soft-spoken Liara was told off, politely and firmly, when she didn't like one of Shepard's plans. He had learned his lesson early on, when he'd spoken of the freedom of being out from under C-sec's iron rules, and she had sternly reprimanded him, saying they didn't need to become Saren to beat Saren. The only crew member who had completely free range with Shepard was Urdnot Wrex, the Krogan Battlemaster who'd killed Fist with Shepard's blessing. Garrus tried not to eavesdrop, but old habits die hard, and he often overheard Wrex and Shepard's conversations. It seemed as though the two warriors had a mutual respect for each other, and while they often disagreed and could be heard half-shouting their viewpoints, they always ended on friendly terms. In fact, it seemed like the two veterans only let their guard down around each other, sharing war stories or sarcastic comments on each other's tactical appraisals.

He always liked when Shepard came to the lower deck to chat with her crew. He would work at his station, but enjoyed the sound of Wrex and Shepard bickering, or the soft murmur of female voices when she and Williams were talking about family and homes. When she came to talk to him, he always stood a little straighter, a little taller. And as time wore on, the more the crew got to know each other, and the more their Commander relaxed- not just around Wrex, but all of them. The feeling of camaraderie between humans and aliens alike was like nothing he'd ever witnessed before, much less been a part of.


	3. Chapter 3

He wasn't sure exactly when things had begun to change. He first noticed the change when they found Dr. Saleon. When he had told Commander Shepard of the doctor, she had listened carefully, and then agreed to help him bring Saleon down. Then, when they had found him, she had stopped him from coldly executing the doctor, asking him what he deserved more- a quick death or justice. Even though Saleon had ended up dying anyway, he found himself replaying the mission over and over in his head. When the commander came down to the lower deck that evening, she went directly to him. He didn't have a chance to say anything before she placed a hand on his forearm and apologized- it was his mission, his call. He barely managed to mutter a response before she was gone again, not stopping to talk to any of the other crew. They had just gotten back from a long mission when they'd found Saleon's freighter, and Shepard hadn't had any time to rest- if walking exhaustion had a form, it was her. He was touched that she had forgone her own comfort to check on him, to apologize, even though she was still in charge. And so, when it was his turn to sleep, his thoughts kept going back to the mission, and to Shepard afterwards.

He thought about her pale blond hair, always hastily tied back, the only careless part of her appearance. Her bright green eyes that she always directly met people's gazes with, sometimes stony, sometimes warm. Her scar, received on her home planet, Earth, while growing up, or so she'd told him, a lasting memory of the gangs she used to run with and call family when she was just a kid. But it wasn't just her appearance that made her stand out- it was her experience and her presence, or her "aura" as the Asari called it (although he had a suspicion that Liara was more interested in other "parts" of the commander). It was the way you could tell she was listening, how she gave you her undivided attention, even in the face of galactic destruction. It was her unrelenting moral code- it wasn't that she was necessarily a good person, but she always did the right thing. And, he thought, doing the right thing often seemed a hell of a lot harder than doing the good thing. Commander Shepard thought in shades of grey, not black and white, and still managed to never get lost.

And with this introspection on his human commander came new feelings, one he wasn't ready to explore yet. She was his superior, his mentor, and at the most, his friend, or so he tried to tell himself. And if he had begun to enjoy her company off duty more, well, that just went along with the friendship. Nonetheless, with these new thoughts in his head, he began noticing more. He noticed how she would let her shoulders relax when she talked to Wrex. Or how her jaw would be a little tighter after talking to Ashley about family. Or, most disturbing, how her body language changed completely around a certain Lieutenant, Kaidan Alenko. He wasn't sure why it bothered him until Wrex caught him watching the two humans interact and called him on it, in his usual blunt Krogran manner. And when Wrex confirmed it was indeed human attraction and courtship, he tried very hard not to explore why it bothered him so much, though he began to dread missions where Kaidan was on the squad.


	4. Chapter 4

Virmire. It was a beautiful planet, seemingly by any species' standards. The humans seemed especially impressed, making jokes about some place called "Cabo" and getting a "tan." But then it had all gone to hell when they reached the Salarians, when Wrex had heard about the breeding project. Commander Shepard, in her usual let-me-deal-with-this-on-my-own-terms way, went over to talk to him- everyone was watching, and he wasn't sure if he should be upset at William's holding her sniper rifle at the ready, or relieved for the backup. For a second, it seemed like Wrex was going to lose it- the Krogan and the Commander were yelling at each other, in each other's faces… and then, just as quickly, it was over. Wrex was no longer shooting his gun into the ocean, and Shepard was walking back to the group, her fists clenched. When she got closer, he could tell immediately that she was angry- no, furious- and she practically growled that they needed to kill "that bastard Saren." When they split into two teams, with Shepard leading one and Kaidan leading the other, Garrus was relieved to be chosen to go with Shepard.

They'd gotten through the facility, faced Sovereign, and Ashley was preparing the nuke, when suddenly Kaidan had come on the radio. They weren't going to make it to the rendezvous. Shepard immediately set off, and he tried to quell uncharitable thoughts about the male human, knowing the commander would never leave any of her team behind, no matter who it was. But then, almost at the towers, they'd seen the ship.

What followed was still a blur. Kaidan or Ashley. Ashley or Kaidan. He had never seen her stumble like that, been so unassured, so… defeated. They'd continued for Kaidan- he was closer, and the gun towers were still a threat to the Normandy. Ashley's voice… he had never cared much for the other Terran female, but she was still a part of the crew, and he'd learned a grudging respect for her over the past few months. And even then, still, it wasn't simple- they were ambushed by Saren before their ship could even arrive. And Shepard, angry as she was, still tried to talk to the ex-spectre, to appeal to him. And when it didn't work, when he caught a glimpse of her face as she helped Kaidan stumble aboard the Normandy, he instantly remembered an old news still off the extranet, to the face of a young woman who'd lost too much and had no idea why.

In the CIC afterwards, the mood was a mix of mournful and angry. Kaidan, that human who Shepard had so much interest in, was angry at her. Angry for saving him, leaving Ashley. The lieutenant was throwing his relationship with the commander in front of her, in front of the crew, attacking her with it. Before he could interrupt, so furious his mandibles were flared out in an uncontrolled sign of aggression, Commander Shepard sat forward, her jaw clenched, eyes full of fire. She hissed, actually hissed, that "Lieutenant Alenko" was out of line, and that he was dismissed. When Kaidan tried to speak again, she practically shouted that he was dismissed. The male stood up, angry but wise enough not to speak, and stalked out of the CIC. The rest of the debrief was quiet and drawn, with few people wanting to speak, either out of grief or respect for their commander's dangerous mood.

* * *

They arrived at the Citadel several hours later, and almost the entire crew went aboard. He stayed, not comfortable with running into any of his old "pals" from C-sec. He grabbed some food from the galley, then went down to the lower deck, intending to check on any damage the Mako might have sustained on Virmire. At first, with the interior lights dimmed, he didn't recognize her. She was standing in front of Ashley's locker- just standing there, not moving. He walked over to her quietly, then put a talon her shoulder. Shepard didn't even jump, just slumped to the floor on her knees. Startled and worried, he knelt down next to next her, and gently hooked a talon under her chin to force her to meet his eyes.

Blue met green tinged with red. Her eyes were almost bloodshot, although there was no sign of tears. Her face was drawn, jaw clenched, hair half out of its knot and askew. He whispered her name, the first time he ever had dared to use her first name, and she gave a shaky breath and reached up to hold his hand. And then, it was as if a gate was opened, and she talked. She talked about Earth, not having parents, living on her own. She talked about losing her best friend when she was 8, and enlisting with the Marines as soon as she was able. She talked of Akuze, of her team, of the basic instinct of fear and flight when the thresher maw was sighted, of the guilt and horror when she realized that everyone was gone, every last person, other than her. And when she was finished, breathing hard as if they'd just run out of a destabilized Prothean ruin again, she stood up, dusted herself off, and said, very formally and controlled, that she had to go to the Council. But just before the elevator doors closed, she turned to look at him, and said "thank you," with such warmth and gratitude that it made his heart hurt. And then she was gone, and he was left with a past full of ghosts, and realized that, despite appearances, the first human spectre was not completely without fear. And that he felt closer to her than he ever had before.


	5. Chapter 5

They were pirates now. But, he thought to himself wryly, they were at least damn good pirates with a damn good prototype ship. Captain Anderson had helped them steal the Normandy back, and now they were on their way to the Mu Relay, to Ilos, to try and stop Saren for the final time. He was sitting next to Wrex, cleaning his sniper rifle while the Krogan cleaned his shotgun, when the elevator light came on. He looked up, hoping for Shepard, when instead Kaidan walked in. Both he and the Krogan stopped what they were doing to watch the human walk over to what used to be Ashley's station, and in moment of déjà vu, saw him stop in front of her locker. Wrex, rather needlessly and thoughtlessly, laughed a little and said, "He's _pissed_ about something." And he couldn't help but agree when Kaidan's fist rammed into the locker, leaving a dent and a more than a couple bloody knuckles. With a sigh, he stood up and got the medigel that was always by the Mako, and approached the Lieutenant.

Kaidan was angry. In fact, he was trembling in fury. And when he saw the Turian nearing, Kaidan gave a bark of laughter. As the medigel was applied, Alenko started talking… he couldn't help but wonder if this was a human trait, talking in extreme emotional cases. Of course, in the Lieutenant's case, he could really care less, except that the Commander cared for him…

Or not. Kaidan wasn't making much sense, but somewhere in his tirade he mentioned Shepard's name, that he thought they had "something," and just when he was going to throw caution to the wind, she had turned him down. Saying they'd gotten ahead of themselves, that they were under emotional duress. He shook his head, then looked at the human, and asked confusedly what he meant. And, in typical human manner, Kaidan had snatched his now mostly-healed hand away and stalked off to the engineering room without answering. And so he returned to his spot next to Wrex, who was finished with his shotgun and admiring it.

He shared his confusion with the Krogran when Wrex laughed again and called him a stupid Turian. Obviously the Lieutenant had tried to "screw" Shepard before going through the relay, and, even more obviously, she had turned him down. He blinked, his mandibles flaring outwards both in response to the Krogran's words and how the Krogan chose to say them, before thoughtfully putting his rifle back together and excusing himself. Wrex watched him go with knowing eyes and shook his head, laughing silently.

He wasn't sure why he was here, at Shepard's door. Or why he asked to come in. Or why she had let him. He stopped just past the doorway, his head tilted a little, as he took her in. She was sitting at her terminal, going over reports on Ilos, and her weapons of choice were laid on her bed, also recently cleaned. He chuckled a little when he realized how predictable they all were- cleaning their guns before a big fight. She looked up at the resonate sound, an eyebrow raised. He looked pointedly to the pistol, then to his own rifle, and for a moment was afraid he'd misread her. Then she smirked, then laughed, and then they were both laughing, even though nothing was really very funny. Finally, they stopped, both gasping for breath.

She walked over to him, stern and all commander again. She thanked him for his service and loyalty, and asked if he would serve with her once more. Of course, he said yes vehemently, and she nodded. He wanted desperately to ask about Kaidan, and finally mentioned that the lieutenant had punched the locker. Shepard sighed heavily, and shrugged. She told him that probably the whole new crew knew of their flirtation, but after Virmire, she had realized that it was battle lust, and that the two of the weren't very well suited. Two different people with two very different outlooks on life. Although he felt guilty, he felt a surge of hope, and made a short quip. She laughed again, emotional shields dropping, and smiled at him. She said he was glad he was on her crew, and glad he'd be watching her back on this final mission. He left her cabin more relaxed and almost more ready for battle than he'd ever been before. He would not fail her.


	6. Chapter 6

They had done it! Shepard had led them, and he and Wrex had provided support. They'd fought their through geth and drones, and were now facing Saren. He wasn't surprised when he heard her try to convince Saren that he was acting as a puppet for Sovereign. And he wasn't particularly surprised when Saren raised his pistol to his head and pulled the trigger- she'd granted him one final act of honor and it was Turian of him to take it. He was, however, extremely surprised when Saren rose up again, as a synthetic nightmare, to attack them.

It had been a long fight with many close calls, but they had succeeded. And despite her better judgment, Shepard had called for the Council to be saved at any cost, all the while muttering "saving that blue ass had better not usher in the end of the galaxy." And then the Normandy had come swooping in, and they'd all stopped to watch- at least, until they realized Sovereign was falling straight towards them. The last thing he heard was her yelling, "_**RUN!**_" and the sound of breaking glass.

He came to as they were lifted a piece of broken… Citadel… off of him. Wrex was being similarly uncovered. As he stood up, limping, he heard their rescuers' radio give a negative on finding Shepard. Before he had time to process that they thought she was dead, there was a shout, and everyone was looking at a pile of rubble. And he smiled to himself, at the thought that he wasn't particularly surprised she'd survived.

He limped over and helped her, the two injured soldiers leaning on each other, refusing help from the medical team. They remained close to each other, refusing to be separated, through the chaos and eventual visit to the doctor to get healed up. No words were spoken- it was simply understood. Wrex flanked them, menacing anyone who came too close.

When they finally stood at the entrance to the temporary Council chambers, he couldn't help but lean in and whisper to her:

"_You just can't help but prove everyone wrong, can you?"_

She just laughed, turned to face him, and cupped his cheek in her palm.

"_You know me too well, Garrus. Now let's kick ass."_

For a heartbeat, they stayed like that, intimately close, but then she sighed and muttered something about duty. And with that, she stepped back and straighted her shoulders. Before she walked into the chambers, head held high,with only a minor limp, she turned her head back and winked at him. And he laughed, making ready to follow her, and knew that he would "kick ass" with her for as long as he was able. And if he stopped for a moment to raise his hand to where hers had laid- well, no one was there to witness it.


End file.
